HEEEEEEEEEELPPPPP. What did I just bring in my house with my wood?

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Swedishchef

Swedishchef

Minister of Fire
Jan 17, 2010
3,275
Inuvik, Northwest Territories
SO I brought in over a cord of wood in my basement yesterday.

While bringing the wood, I noticed that there were some little fly type critters flying around.

Some of my wood had lots of holes in it (smaller) and some look like the wood was tunneled. (see my pictures).

What did I bring in? I even found a hole that seems to be 2-3 inches long1/4 inch wide) in a wall stud beside my pile of wood. This is all within 24 hours. And I found a little hole on my pine computer desk (hard to see in pics). A few pieces of wood had little holes like this in them. What is it? I am taking my wood back outside today.

See attached pictures

ANdrew
 

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Update: I forgot to mention, if you look at the picture where i shine a light onto a desk, there's a little hole right above the spot that the light is shining.

Also, here's a picture of a piece of wood that had some little holes. They are very small holes and they don't go through the wood, just through the bark and then it looks like little scratch marks underneath the bark.

Any ideas?

A.

PS> 2/3 of the wood is back outside.
 

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Not really sure what kind of insect you babe there, I know around here if there is tunnels and insect living in wood it's usually ants or earwigs. That's why I am not a fan of storing large amounts of wood indoors and especially in heated areas. I wait until it gets colder and the bugs aren't active and then I bring a weeks worth at brims into my garage so it stays dry . But keeping it in a heated area activates too many critters!
 
Sure as heck looks like termite holes to me. That or carpenter ants. http://pci-pest-control.com/CarpenterAnts.aspx

One of the largest members of the ant family, carpenter ants take their name from their habit of chewing passageways (called "galleries") inside wood. They live in these galleries and make excursions, most often at night, to hunt for food and water. These ants often set up satellite colonies inside homes from parent colonies located outside in a tree or landscape timber.

I bring all my wood to the garage first, spray it and then take it in the house.
 
WEll, I don't think it's out of control. The thing I noticed is that there were a few flies when I brought in my wood. I had noticed them on the wood pile. If I moved some wood and saw them, they scattered. They look like small mosquito-like flying critters.

Needless to say, all my wood is out. I am still killing the odd fly/whatever it is. There isn't hundreds or anything like that, maybe 20-30 total.

I will take a picture of what they look like with my camcorder. The bodies of them are only about 2-3mm long and my digital camera can't focus or something so small.

A
 
I also keep an ant trap in the bottom of my wood box. Just in case.
 
I use a rubbermaid tub to carry wood in and out. It keeps all of the dirt and bugs contained.

Matt
 
Hrm

ALl of my wood is now back outside. F it. I will keep it under a tarp. My wood shed is full, I was going to keep some wood inside. No thanks.

Matt, that is a great idea. I will go get a rubbermaid tub today and keep 3-4 days of wood worth in it. Keeps things tidy. I am a rubbermaid tub maniac, I don't know how I didn't think of that.

I have killed about 20 of those mosquito looking flies. I think I got most of them. They are attracted to the windows. I then go on a killing spree.

Andrew
 
Powder Post Beetle, maybe?
 
The hole in the desk and the 2x4 were there before you bought either of them. The little holes look like termites, but unless you bring in the queen (you wouldn't be able to miss her) you're not in any danger. Bad bugs usually move on after the tree is cut down/cut up, and any that make it into your home quicky dry out and die. At least that's what I tell myself so I can sleep at night....

I don't know for sure, but there are two insects I would worry about the most. The first and foremost (because its so much more common for us) is the carpenter ant. It likes wet wood, because it likes the moisture. It doesn't eat the wood, just tunnels through it for its home. The second, and more dangerous is the termite. Here in NH we have terrestrial termites that don't spread by flying around. They stay on the ground and like wet wood as well. Both of these insects are hives, and out of the possibly millions of critters in a colonly the only one you have to worry about is the queen. Without the queen your infestation would last no more than a few weeks. I don't worry about termites, because my wood is stored in a dry place outside off the ground and only a retarded termite that would die in a matter of a few days would try to set up shop there. Carpenter ants are not a problem either because they like wet wood, and my place is rife with it without them needing to pick my wood pile. I have pulled them out of my garage however, a small nets where they were trying to set up shop between two 2x4s above a non-PT sill. They are easy to find because they clean house, and you find the little piles of their discarded handywork. Termites are tough, and may work for decades before detection, so I prevent it from by keeping wood from getting wet, keeping bushes away from my house, little things like ant spray/pellets in the Spring. I might get pinched but oh well.
 
btuser said:
The hole in the desk and the 2x4 were there before you bought either of them. The little holes look like termites, but unless you bring in the queen (you wouldn't be able to miss her) you're not in any danger. Bad bugs usually move on after the tree is cut down/cut up, and any that make it into your home quicky dry out and die. At least that's what I tell myself so I can sleep at night....

I don't know for sure, but there are two insects I would worry about the most. The first and foremost (because its so much more common for us) is the carpenter ant. It likes wet wood, because it likes the moisture. It doesn't eat the wood, just tunnels through it for its home. The second, and more dangerous is the termite. Here in NH we have terrestrial termites that don't spread by flying around. They stay on the ground and like wet wood as well. Both of these insects are hives, and out of the possibly millions of critters in a colonly the only one you have to worry about is the queen. Without the queen your infestation would last no more than a few weeks. I don't worry about termites, because my wood is stored in a dry place outside off the ground and only a retarded termite that would die in a matter of a few days would try to set up shop there. Carpenter ants are not a problem either because they like wet wood, and my place is rife with it without them needing to pick my wood pile. I have pulled them out of my garage however, a small nets where they were trying to set up shop between two 2x4s above a non-PT sill. They are easy to find because they clean house, and you find the little piles of their discarded handywork. Termites are tough, and may work for decades before detection, so I prevent it from by keeping wood from getting wet, keeping bushes away from my house, little things like ant spray/pellets in the Spring. I might get pinched but oh well.
Click to expand...

+1
 
Hey guys

MHVOND: I did some research on the internet and don't think it's the powder post beetle. The bugs I have seen have antanaes. However, I really don't know.

BTUSER: I certainly hope you're right. lol. Maybe I am paranois. I don't care either way. I learned my lesson: wood will stay outside!! NExt year I will have a shed and my greenhouse full. I will bring in 1-3 days worth of wood at a time and keep it in a rubbermaid tub.

Here's a good website with some pictures of bugs that eat wood: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in035

The flying things I see aren't on that website. I must have killed 30 of them since this AM. They are mosquito like and most of them have found their way into the windows of the basement.

ANdrew
 
That's some crap luck. Suggest you separate the infested wood, burn it as asap and make sure they are not spread around the house in other spots. When chopping wood, I usually have a fire going in the back yard, I burn any questionable stuff there. Tend to bust open some slightly punky stuff and find ants at times. They are all dead ants now.
 
Ugh

Now I really don't know what I have.
I have killed about 40 of them. I have started to find them all in the windows. The good news is that all the wood is out. I just purchased a bit rubbermade tub and will keep wood in it for 2-3 days. Any wood that is questionable is going in the garbage/outdoor fire pile.

Rougement, I don't think I have ants. I know what a flying ant looks like and what I am seeing is not ant-like. HOwever, like most insects, there could be 400 variations of the damn things.

I am debating calling p est control or waiting a few days to see what happens. I think that now that my wood is out, it's under control. I am on bug patrol!

A
 
Seriously keep a close eye on things. I hate to say it but, the heck with the wood, take care of the house most importantly. I am a big time arachnophobe, I would be walking the house with a can of raid right now.
 
Skin,

I totally understand and agree.

I have been going around from window to window throughout the day killing little flying bugs. I will do the same this evening and tomorrow when I get up and before I go to work.

I think those holes may have been there before today though. I have no proof and perhaps am paranoid. Either way, my wood is outside and whatever wood I bring inside will be in my 160liter rubbermaid tub.

I hate spiders but not that bad. LOL.

Andrew
 
Andrew, if it were the powder post beetles, you would have no doubt because of the super fine sawdust they leave behind. It is really super fine dust too.
 
Dennis,

I found a beetle tonight, near a window where I had stacked the wood. He is in a better place now. I have not found or seen any dust IN my house. However, under the "peeling" bark of some pieces of wood (which had lots of tiny holes in them) there was a very dusty material which seemed to be like the kind you are mentioning. Also, there was small pieces of wood, almost like tiny shavings.

Needless to say; all that wood is outside. When I bring a few armfulls in, every piece will be inspected from top to bottom.

I am still not 100% sure what I have...they are just like mosquitos...

Andrew
 
I am sure the flying bugs are a pain, but I don't think they are any threat to your house or to you. There are tons of insect species, and most are completely harmless except they might cause irritation when they come into the house in large numbers with your firewood. Everyone who brings firewood indoors gets some bugs, but the vast majority are just irritation ,and a small few are yellowjackets! Don't worry too much about it is my advice. Keep your eyes open for termites and carpenter ants, but both of these are a lot more likely to get into the house from outside than from your firewood, with the possible exception if you stored lots of wood indoors. I dont think there are many cases of bringing firewood indoors causing an infestation of the house.
 
DUck

Thanks for the advice. It is logical to assume that any infestation would come from outside and not from firewood. It makes sense.

I have killed approximately 55-60 of those little flies. They are driving me nuts. And I found 1 beetle. I will see what today brings (when I come home for lunch) and then we will play it by ear.

However, I did learn a valuable lesson: if the wood looks like there are bugs in it (bored out parts, small holes, etc), either throw it in the stove right away or leave it for outdoor beach party fires.

A.
 
Keep in ind you're in Quebec, not termite territory.

Also, catch a few of 'em and take them to a local university/cooperative extension service and see if they can ID the bugs. Be a little leary of companies that ID the bug and charge you to fumigate the house.
 
flyingcow said:
Keep in ind you're in Quebec, not termite territory.
Click to expand...

Exactly what I was thinking.
 
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